Lu Bu said, “Just as I was coming up, it seemed to me as if that fellow was going to stab you, only a sudden panic seized him and he presented the weapon instead.”
“I suspected him too！” said Dong Zhuo.
Just then Li Ru came in and they told him.
“Cao Cao has no family here in the capital but lodges quite alone and not far away,” said Li Ru. “Send for him. If he comes forthwith, the sword was meant as a gift. But if he makes any excuses, he had bad intentions. And you can arrest him.”
they sent four prison warders to call Cao Cao.
they were absent a long time and then came back, saying, “Cao Cao had not returned to his lodging but rode in hot haste out of the eastern gate. To the gate commander's questions he replied that he was on a special message for the Prime Minister. He went off at full speed.”
“His conscience pricked him and so he fled. there is no doubt that he meant assassination！” said Li Ru.
“And I trusted him so well！” said Dong Zhuo in a rage.
“there must be a conspiracy afoot. When we catch him, we shall know all about it,” said Li Ru.
Letters and pictures of the fugitive Cao Cao were sent everywhere with orders to catch him. A large reward in money was offered and a patent of nobility, while those who sheltered him would be held to share his guilt.
Cao Cao traveled in hot haste toward Qiao, his home county. On the road at Zhongmou, he was recognized by the guards at the gate and made prisoner. They took him to the Magistrate. Cao Cao declared he was a merchant, named Huang Fu. The Magistrate scanned his face most closely and remained in deep thought.
Presently the Magistrate said, “When I was at the capital seeking a post, I knew you as Cao Cao. Why do you try to conceal your identity？”
the Magistrate ordered Cao Cao to the prison till the morrow when he could send Cao Cao to the capital and claim the reward. He gave the soldiers wine and food as a reward.
Lodge 公寓
Forthwith 立刻
Warder 守卫
Conscience 良心
Prick 驱使
Assassination 行刺
Afoot 进行中的
Fugitive 逃亡者
Patent 专利
Nobility 贵族
布对卓曰：“适来曹操似有行刺之状，及被喝破，故推献刀。”卓曰：“吾亦疑之。”正说话间，适李儒至，卓以其事告之。儒曰：“操无妻小在京，只独居寓所。今差人往召，如彼无疑而便来，则是献刀；如推托不来，则必是行刺，便可擒而问也。”卓然其说，即差狱卒四人往唤操。去了良久，回报曰：“操不曾回寓，乘马飞出东门。门吏问之，操曰‘丞相差我有紧急公事’，纵马而去矣。”儒曰：“操贼心虚逃窜，行刺无疑矣。”卓大怒曰：“我如此重用，反欲害我！”儒曰：“此必有同谋者，待拿住曹操便可知矣。”卓遂令遍行文书，画影图形，捉拿曹操：擒献者，赏千金，封万户侯；窝藏者同罪。
且说曹操逃出城外，飞奔谯郡。路经中牟县，为守关军士所获，擒见县令。操言：“我是客商，覆姓皇甫。”县令熟视曹操，沉吟半晌，乃曰：“吾前在洛阳求官时，曾认得汝是曹操，如何隐讳！且把来监下，明日解去京师请赏。”把关军士赐以酒食而去。
